What’s ya doing August 17 – 18? Want to go to a summer camp for adults? Troegs Independent Brewing Company is hosting a beer camp for adults in North Park. Besides drinking beer, they are planning zip line with Go Ape and other tree top activities-careful how much your drink before climbing trees, kayaking and biking lead by Venture Outdoors, flag capture games, other activities include geocaching, other lawn games & crafts. It is limited to 75 and the last camp they held in York County sold out. The price is $75 for Friday (hours 1:30 -7), $95 for Saturday (hours 8:30 am – 2 pm and the afternoon hours) and $150 for both days.

Allegheny County is in the process of restoring The Cascades pool in South Park originally designed by Paul B. Riis, a Swiss-​born landscape architect who worked for the Allegheny County Park system from 1927 – 32. What a cool way to cool off the Cascades was a pool designed to be a pool, wading pools and water falls all with a natural look. The stone were all recovered during South Parks creation in the 1930’s. Early recycling? 🙂 I’ve heard for years they were thinking of putting it back in and now I hear they are actually working on it.

May I be a bit negative? I wish Christian Cassotis would go back to Florida or Georgia, where ever the airport authority found her. She’s been pushing since she came here to revamp the airport at a tune of $1B! We haven’t paid off the last brainchild of the airport authority that designed the airport to serve as USAir’s hub. Granted, she has brought more flights in recently than the airport’s had in years, many are significantly subsidized. I don’t like offering a Qatar company a half million dollars to flight freight in but when we start talking a BILLION dollars, I need to step up and holler. Yes, there are way too many gates that waste resources like heating, cooling , lights security, etc. But tearing down the landside terminal, building new structures at a cost she is now saying will exceed the BILLION dollar initial estimate. There has to be a more cost effective way to modernize the facility.

Pittsburgh’s oldest makerspace HackPGH is doing well, they are expanding. For just $50 a month ($30 for students, seniors and vets) you have access to the many tools they have in their workshop. Located in an alley behind 5th Avenue in the Updown section of the city, it’s in an old garage and are taking over an adjacent space to expand. Chad Elish, the founder, has all kinds of wood working tools, metal working tools, laser cutting, 3-D printing and other skills. A great part of the program is when you are in the shop with others that can guide you with their experience in learning new tricks to whatever you are trying to make.

I just re-painted the gecko swing yesterday and was thinking about a mutual friend of Kerry & myself made for me. Dino moved back to Minnesota and when he returned, I put him and Layne up in one of my guest rooms in my Lake Worth, FL bed and breakfast and since he was such a good friend, I wouldn’t take any money while they looked for permanent housing. So they made the gecko swing for me. Each time I paint it, I marvel at the detail they incorporated into it:

His tail is curled up on the bottom, his back leg is across from where your thigh would be on the swing, the arm rest is his front paws, his head is next to where your head would be and see the scales going up his back.

I took da kidz out to Raccoon State Park today, they had a ball. We even got hollered at by a park ranger. I picked an unused picnic area and left them off leash. A ranger pulled over and told me they weren’t allowed off leash. I clapped my hands, my good kidz came running over to the truck and immediately sat down. The ranger commented on how good they were and told me he was just giving me a warning. He smiled and drove off.

It’s been a rough day and I had started this blog two days ago (I had to delete the post about the scuba diving event at the zoo this weekend, since it’s already Saturday. It looked like a fun time, if your quick, they are also holding it tomorrow. I’m going to feed my good kidz and enjoy my front porch and do my crossword puzzle. Have a good weekend,

The Parador Inn

What Our Guests Have Said

My husband, Mark, and I love the Parador Inn. The inn is beautiful, with historic charm and fun Caribbean flair. The bedrooms are elegant and comfortable, Ed is a gracious host who makes superb breakfasts, Razor and R.J. are friendly canine hosts, and the housekeeping staff is efficient and accommodating. In addition, the location is easy to find and convenient to the many things Pittsburgh offers. Mark and I are glad we found the Parador; it has become a home away from home for us when we visit our children, who are students at Pitt. We look forward to our visit every time.